Working without pay

Volunteering helps jobseekers network, sharpen skills

By

AlisaWeinstein

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Volunteer work isn't just for do-gooders anymore.

For people who've been laid off, working without compensation can be a critical step in landing a new job, career experts said. Beyond spiritual rewards, volunteer work offers the ability to network, learn new skills, demonstrate leadership or test out a new career track.

"Anything that you do productively in life helps augment your career, whether it's paid or not," said Peg McAllister, general manager at Lee Hecht Harrison, a New Jersey-based career development company.

And a growing number of Americans are in need of job leads. A new unemployment report on Thursday found that U.S. corporations continued to pare their payrolls in December and announced almost 2 million job cuts last year. See full story.

In times when paid positions are harder to come by, volunteer jobs offer a chance to showcase skills to potential employers. Plus spending down time in a noble pursuit - rather than surfing the Web or being a couch potato -- sends a strong message that you're self-motivated in creating a healthy career, experts said.

"In terms of marketing oneself, this would come under the heading of positioning," said Susan Zitron-Woods, president of Zitron Career Services in San Francisco. "It keeps you visible and creates another channel for your own distribution."

About 44 percent of adults volunteered at least a few hours each week last year, and almost a quarter did it to make new business contacts, according to a study by Independent Sector, coalition of leading nonprofits, foundations and corporations.

"Whenever there is a recession, there is always a flight to volunteerism to stay busy, to come up with a new set of skills and to find another position through networking." said Paul Clolery, editor-in-chief of NonProfit Times, a business publication for the non-profit sector in Parsippany, N.J.

Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities extend beyond joining the Peace Corps, donning a candy-striper uniform or reading to the blind. VolunteerMatch.org, a San Francisco-based Web site, connects people with non-profit organizations in areas such as advocacy and human rights, sports and recreation, computers and technology and media and broadcasting.

Consider that an out-of-work graphic designer might create a newsletter for the International Refugee Committee, a computer programmer could become the Webmaster for the EcoFilmfest & Expo, or a journalist may write feature stories for a newsletter about parks and trails.

"It's a great way to get involved with an organization and make a difference, while at the same time evaluating whether or not you want to work for a non-profit," said Jason Willett, a spokesman for VolunteerMatch.org.

Volunteer positions also can lead to full-time employment. Teri Schroeder, president of I-Safe, a nonprofit Internet safety foundation, said she's hired volunteer database programmers, system analysts and engineers she found through VolunteerMatch.

These workers have an edge over other applicants when it comes to hiring, Schroeder said. "It's great for us because they're familiar with the project."

For those looking for work in the for-profit world, many executives volunteer in organizations such as the American Red Cross or the United Way, Zitron-Woods said.

She suggests jobseekers call companies they're interested in working for to find out which organizations they support, and then volunteer there. "There's nothing wrong with networking within those organizations," she said.

But exercise caution when it comes to highlighting volunteer work for highly political or controversial organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) or Greenpeace on your resume, said Susan Koch, director of human resources for Datatel in Fairfax, Va.

"The kind of organization could influence someone positively or not, depending on who reads the resume."

Overall, volunteering can make you a more well-rounded job applicant, especially if you've been unemployed for an extended period of time.

"Nothing can totally replace the paid experience, but volunteerism can enhance it," said Nancy Spivack, director of human resources at the Society for Human Resource Management.

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